Wichita Triple-A Club Unveils "Wind Surge" As New Moniker

The new name for the Marlins' Triple-A PCL affiliate is the Wichita Wind Surge, a moniker that "pays homage to the Air Capital of the world, and gives a nod to what many consider" the city's forward progress, according to Shelby Reynolds of the WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL. The club also unveiled its new logo, a "navy- and sky-blue pegasus galloping through a red W." At one point, the thought was that the Marlins' affiliate "was going to be the Wichita River Riders, when the team's official social media accounts suddenly rebranded itself in August with a green and yellow logo." The Wichita 29ers "followed, and so did The Wichita Linemen." Turns out it was "all for nothing" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/13). In Wichita, Dion Lefler notes the logo was created by graphic designer Todd Radom, "also the creator" of the Nationals' and Angels' marks. The team also revealed its "new uniforms: home white with Wind Surge across the chest in red-outlined blue lettering; and road gray with Wichita in blue lettering" (WICHITA EAGLE, 11/14).

TWITTER REAX: Wichita-based KFH-FM's Bob Lutz: "Not crazy about Wind Surge. Would like Surge much better. The feedback on this nickname has not been good. ... Remember, Wheatshockers was eventually shortened to Shockers. Wind Surge will eventually become just the Surge." Wichita-based KWCH-CBS' Jacob Albracht: "Wind Surge. I don’t love it or hate it. But again, I’ll bet by April people are having fun with it." The Athletic's Andre Fernandez tweeted of the Marlins, "The franchise that has the Jumbo Shrimp, the LumberKings, and once had the Isotopes and the Baby Cakes now has a Wind Surge."